Social Class During The Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution was an evolution of working and manufacturing practices taking place between the years 1760 to about 1940. This evolution meant that workers were being traded for machines and factories started opening up as the introduction of steam power was used and manipulated into producing products much faster than by hand. Many people moved into fast-growing cities in the hopes of finding a job in the new factories that rose in light of the revolution. Due to the rapid growth of cities during the industrial revolution, the living conditions of the lower classes declined quite quickly. Whole families would work at factories to increase their standard of living, as wages during the revolution were very

The Middle class later divided into two classes within the Middle class- Upper Middle class and Lower Middle class. The people who were grouped into the Upper Middle class lived lives much the same as the people in the Upper class such as living on large estates in the countryside. The Lower Middle-class occupants led a much simpler life compared to the Upper Middle class and the Upper class , however; they still lived quite a luxurious life compared to the Lower and Working class people. The Upper-class participants had an abundance of servants while the Lower middle class only had a few and the Lower and Working class occupants had no servants at

They were workers that struggled to live with the low wages in which they earned by working at factories. 95% of the population of that time were grouped into this class. Working class people lived in very poor standards were diseases spread easily due to the unsanitary conditions. The people in this lower class lived in houses with many other families; they usually only had one room to themselves or their family. Due to not having the right facilities or not enough money to buy these facilities themselves, their clothes were often dirty, soiled and they reeked of sewerage and unwashed bodies. Their clothes were often made with cheap coarse fabric.

The Gap between them

The between the Upper and Middle class was very small as they lived much the same lives. However, the gap between the Upper/Middle classes and the Working class was immense. The difference in living standards and jobs were the main contributors to this gap, nevertheless, the industrial revolution made this gap even wider due to the urbanisation of towns and cities and unemployment. The industrial revolution brought about lower prices, which made the rich even richer while the poor remained poor due to low wages.